The present invention relates to a loose filter detecting machine and method for detecting loose filters on cigarettes and rejecting the cigarette product having the loose filter.
In the manufacturing of cigarettes including filter tips on the mouth end thereof, the filters are joined by tipping paper to a tobacco rod, which has been previously wrapped in cigarette paper. The tipping paper is generally sized so that it will circumscribe the entire filter and a portion of the paper-wrapped tobacco rod, thereby holding the filter to the tobacco rod. However, in the manufacture of filter cigarettes, problems are encountered with the attaching of the filters to the tobacco rod. If the tipping paper does not securely hold the filter tip to the tobacco rod portion of the cigarette product, the filter may become detached during packaging of the product, in the shipping of the product, or when used by the consumer.
There have been a number of means suggested to test the integrity of the attachment of the filter to the tobacco rod. However, the most common means are visually observing the product prior to packaging to determine whether or not the filters are securely fastened to the cigarettes or by grabbing samples and then physical pulling some of the filters to see whether or not they are securely fastened.
Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 3,233,613, teaches a system for reclaiming defective cigarette assemblies comprising elongated or rotary blades for cutting groups of cigarettes carried between movable belts. U. S. Pat. No. 3,327,444, teaches a system for testing the integrity of and resistance to flow through hollow articles such as cigarettes including the use of rolling drums which are provided with a plurality of axially extending segments in the form of recesses in which successive filter cigarette are carried and/or transferred thereby in a pneumatic testing process. U.S. Pat. No. 3,404,688 teaches another system for disassembling filter and cigarette assemblies including, for example, cutting blades. U.S. Pat. No. 3,468,416, teaches a pneumatic method and apparatus for testing cigarettes to detect loose ends and missing filter tips wherein stationary nozzles are positioned at the ends of the cigarettes moving on a conveyor at constant speed, and each nozzle directs air towards the adjacent end of the cigarette, one air jet flowing at a relatively high pressure and an adjacent jet flowing at a lower pressure, the pressure of the lower pressure air jet being indicative of the acceptability or non-acceptability of the end texture fabrication of the cigarette. U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,068, teaches a pneumatic testing concept using a rotatably mounted drum provided with a plurality of axially extending troughs having openings disposed around the circumferential surface of the drum wherein cigarettes are fed radially into the openings as the drum rotates and the troughs are of such a depth that the cigarettes do not project above the drum surface; consequently, as the drum rotates in contact with a movable belt extending over an arcuate portion of its circumference, the troughs are closed while covered by the belt and while the troughs are so closed, air under pressure is injected into the closed troughs and a vacuum source is supplied by way of an axial bore in a piston pressed against the cigarettes' insurface to the respective cigarette, so that the resulting air displacement, if any, is monitored and, where it exceeds a predetermined amount, indicating that the cigarette wrapping paper is faulty, the cigarette is rejected.